Christchurch hit by chef shortage

The government is aware of a dire shortage of chefs in Christchurch but there are no plans right now to put them on the special fast track immigration "wanted list".

About 70 restaurants are due to re-open after earthquake repairs but many chefs have quit the city and owners are having to go on overseas recruiting missions, the Christchurch Mail has reported.

A Department of Labour spokesman told NZ Newswire chefs were already on the long-term skills shortage list, which covers all of New Zealand, but not on the Canterbury shortage list which is aimed at occupations specifically covering reconstruction.

"There are no plans to change that approach at the moment but we are monitoring the situation," the spokesman said.

Despite the city still being shaken by aftershocks, 108 special visas were issued up to December 31 to workers prepared to take their chances.

Most of them, 69, came from Britain. There were 12 from Ireland, five from the USA, four from the Philippines, three from Malaysia and two each from India, Indonesia and Ukraine.

There were others from Czechoslovakia, France, Germany, Italy, Malta, Netherlands, Pakistan, South Africa and Spain.

The main occupations were insurance loss adjuster (28), quantity surveyor (20), construction project manager (13) and civil engineer (nine).